Democratic Party

June 6, 1944 And June 6, 1968: Turning Points In American History!

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June 6 is a special day in American history, as two events 24 years apart have had a great effect on the nation and the world.

The sacrifices of Allied soldiers from the US, Canada, and Great Britain in 1944 at Normandy, on D Day, started the process of liberation of Europe from the horrors of Nazi Germany, and it helped to lead to an unexpected event, the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower, to the Presidency in 1952.

24 years later, New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy was tragically assassinated in Los Angeles, after having won the California Presidential primary, with the growing belief that he might become the Democratic Presidential nominee in 1968.

His tragic passing sadly ended with the election of Richard Nixon, and the rise of right wing Republican conservatism 12 years later, with the election of Ronald Reagan.

The political effects of both events shaped the future, and mostly led to unfortunate events that prevented the nation from moving in the proper direction, particularly after 1968.

Debt Limit Bill Passes House Of Representatives 314-117!

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The US House of Representatives has passed the Debt Limit legislation to avoid default, by a vote of 314-117, with one third of the Republican majority voting against, and about one fourth of the Democratic minority voting against.

149 Republicans and 165 Democrats voted for the legislation, and 71 Republicans and 46 Democrats voted against the legislation.

So fundamentally, the centrists in both parties did what had to be done, while many members of the Republican House Freedom Caucus and of the Democratic House Progressive Caucus registered their opposition to the legislation.

Overall, it is a good piece of legislation, and saves the nation from dealing with this matter until after the next Presidential and Congressional elections in 2024.

Now the legislation goes to the Senate, where it could be held up by reckless members of the Republican Party, who love to gain attention by being outrageous!

Debt Limit Deal A Compromise, But Mostly A Biden Win!

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It seems that the crisis over the raising the federal debt ceiling will be resolved by a compromise, which means no one gets everything they want.

However, it also seems that the Democrats and President Joe Biden will come out better than the Republicans and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.

The Freedom Caucus in the Republican Party in the House of Representatives and the Progressive Caucus in the Democratic Party are not happy, but the passage of the deal seems to be likely, although some Republicans in the Senate, such as Mike Lee of Utah, may try to hold up the deal.

But the Democrats are making fewer concessions compared to the Republicans, and Kevin McCarthy may face a no confidence vote from the Republican caucus, although he would seem to be likely to survive, although maybe in a weakened state.

The best part of the proposed deal is to push the debt limit issue off for two years, until after the next Presidential and Congressional Elections in 2024!

Can Senator Tim Scott Become The Republican Presidential Nominee In 2024?

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The only black Republican Senator, Tim Scott of South Carolina, has just entered the race for the Presidency.

With only five black Republican House members and Scott the only black Republican Senator, the Republican Party does not have the image of caring about African Americans.

So the question arises whether Scott has any possility of becoming the Republican nominee for the White House.

With South Carolina being a crucial state in the battle for the nomination of both parties, he might have an avenue to advance, but also has to deal with the woman who chose him originally to fill an open Senate seat a decade ago, then Governor and later United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who has already announced her own Presidential candidacy,

And Donald Trump has the backing of the South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and Senator Lindsey Graham, so these complexities make one wonder if Scott has any chance to move forward.

Scott comes across as likeable to his own Republican Senate colleagues, with South Dakota Senator John Thune, the Minority Whip, endorsing him, and even New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker praising him as a colleague across the aisle.

His announcement was inspiring to those who think conservative government is the best, and have no issue with his promotion of Christianity in government.

But such viewpoints are not inspirational to anyone, such as this author and blogger, who believes in progressive and liberal values.

Scott will make the race more interesting for sure, but one has to wonder how Donald Trump will treat him in language and behavior, as the former President’s racism may, once again, show up in his rhetoric.

Tricia Cotham, A Turncoat Against Women’s Abortion Rights In North Carolina!

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As the struggle to insure a woman’s right to control her own body and abortion rights continues, sadly, we have seen a turncoat against women’s abortion rights in North Carolina.

Tricia Cotham, a newly elected Democratic state legislator supportive of abortion rights, who had formerly served in that body years earlier,completely abandoned what she was elected on as her platform.

Tricia Cotham herself had an abortion in 2015 and defended that action when she was running for the legislative seat in 2022.

She has shown to have no principle, and shocked women’s groups as clearly, she lied, and changed her view, and one has to wonder if she was offered some kind of motivation to change her mind, in a way that harms all women in North Carolina.

The governor, Roy Cooper, vetoed an abortion bill limiting women to 12 weeks instead of 20, but the supermajority Republican legislature, now insured of the ability to override the veto, is almost certain to impose the new restriction, unless one Republican switches his or her view at the last minute.

Tricia Cotham will not go down in history as a principled person, but rather as a person who makes ordinary citizens be very cynical that one cannot trust politicians, and how they can be manipulated so readily!

She also has come across as an extreme gun enthusiast, and promoted Christianity in an extreme manner recently, making one wonder about her mental stability, and certainly, about her level of honesty when she was elected just months ago as the Democratic nominee for her legislative seat, after being in the same legislative body in earlier years, but leaving in 2016.

Tricia Cotham should not have run again now, as she lied to her voters, clear and simple!

In June And September, We Are About To Have 90 Year Old Senators For Only 5th And 6th Time In American History!

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In the next four months, we are about to have 90 year old Senators in office for only the 5th and 6th time in American history!

Attention is being brought to this reality because California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who will be 90 on June 22, has returned to Washington DC after three months away, recuperating from Shingles. But even before this recent bout with illness, it was clear to many observers that Feinstein was in mental decline since 2019, a year after she ran for another six year term at age 85.

Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who will be 90 on September 17, just was elected to another six year term in 2022 at the age of 89. It must be said that Grassley seems in fine physical and mental shape despite his age, but the concept that if he finishes the term in early January 2029 that he will be past 95 years of age, is mind boggling! If he finishes his term, he will be the second oldest Senator in American History!

Only four US Senators have been in office in their 90s, including

Republican Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina who reached 100 years of age in office, retired, and died a half year later.

Democratic Senator Theodore F. Green of Rhode Island reached 93 years of age in office, retired, and lived to age 98.

Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia reached 92 and a half years of age, dying in office.

Democratic Senator Carl Hayden of Arizona left office past the age of 91 and died three years later at age 94.

Desperate Need For Immigration Reform For Past Generation

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In 1986, Republican President Ronald Reagan signed an immigration reform plan into law, legitimizing millions of migrants who might have come in without the normal channels.

Reagan understood that the lifeblood of the nation is immigration, as America has always been a land welcoming people from other lands who have suffered from violence, poverty, discrimination, and simple desire for a better life.

Everyone of us in America is here because earlier generations of immigrants took the arduous and often dangerous trip from foreign lands.

And yet, now, and for the entire 21st century, the Republican Party, with some exceptions, have blocked immigration reform under Republican President George W. Bush, and Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Many forget, conveniently, that Republican Presidentic candidate Senator John McCain of Arizona promoted such reform in his 2008 Presidential campaign, and before and after that time frame until his passing in 2018.

But now, the ugly nativism of most Republicans is distressing, and failing to realize that promoting more immigration is a long range strategy to deal with the aging of the American population, and the dire need for more young people to promote economic growth into the future.

George Santos, An Embarrassment And Burden To Republican Party

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First term Congressman George Santos (R-New York) is just the latest example of the disaster that is the Republican Party of 2023!

Santos has copied Donald Trump in stating that the 13 charges brought against him this week by the federal government are a “witch hunt”!

He has lied about everything imaginable, and he should resign from office, but Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy desperately needs every vote on every bill, since he has only a four seat majority in the House of Representatives.

Santos is an embarrassment and burden to the Republican Party, and it is likely that his Congressional seat in Northern Queens County and North Shore of Nassau County, the area where this blogger and author lived in the first half of his life, will turn back to Democratic if there is a special election during the term, or else in the regular election cycle in 2024!

Generation Z (1996-2012) Turning “Blue” On Abortion, Guns, Voting Rights!

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Generation Z (1996-2012) is rapidly turning “Blue” on the major controversies that divide America’s political parties.

This is heartening news for the Democratic Party, as young people in large percentages support abortion rights, whether they are women and girls or their male supporters. This is the generation most impacted by courts and politicians attempting to control their reproductive rights!

Also, young people recognize that the gun culture in America worships the crazy need to allow semi automatic firearms to go unregulated while thousands upon thousands of young people become cannon fodder in a nation that believes every fetus must be born, but then you are on your own!

Also, young people are being prevented from voting when they go away to colleges and universities in many “Red” states, because it is realized that they tend to be more “liberal” by being exposed to varying ideas outside of their family’s views, if they come from a household with little education beyond high school.

The more educated one is, the more likely they will tend to be Democrats, because they realize that life is more than just making money, but also to have compassion, empathy, decency, dignity, and care about human rights for more than just themselves!

So in the midst of difficult, stressful times, the future seems bright for Democrats and for “liberal” and “progressive” values, as the Republicans are alienating millions upon millions nationally who value women’s rights, gun protections, and voting rights!

Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Tenure In Danger!

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Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy is in great danger of losing his Speakership, and so far, the 118th Congress, with a small Republican edge in the House of Representatives, and a 51-49 Democratic Senate control, has accomplished almost nothing!

If McCarthy angers just one member of his caucus, a vote could come up to remove him from the Speakership, and if just five members of his caucus joined with the Democrats, he will be gone as the leader of his party!

The upcoming debt ceiling impasse will be a major test of whether McCarthy can survive the two year term of the 118th Congress!

The lunatic “Freedom Caucus”, with at least 46 sitting members, sadly, is controlling much of the Republican agenda in the House of Representatives!

This includes Matt Gaetz of Florida, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, as the most controversial of a group in which all the members are extremists!